The Penguins should start Tomas Vokoun over Marc-Andre Fleury for Game 3. There, I said it. It's not a surrender, it's not a concession to the vaunted New York offense. It's a change, maybe for only one game. For a coach who changes linemates on a shift-by-shift basis, switching goalies should be no big deal.
Tomas Vokoun beat the New York Islanders three times during the month of March. On March 10, he made 23 saves in a 6-1 blowout win. The goalie then stopped 33 of 35 shots March 22, helping Pittsburgh to a 4-2 victory on Long Island. The netminder then closed out an NHL-best 15 game winning streak with a 35-save shutout performance on March 30 in a 2-0 blanking. Vokoun ran his career-high shutout stretch to 162-plus consecutive minutes in that game.
Vokoun should start Sunday because the timing is right. What could happen? He could beat the Islanders on Long Island. Coach Bylsma could then go back to Fleury on Tuesday or stick with Vokoun if he gets a shutout or otherwise impresses greatly. Having a goaltending controversy when one goalie is playing well can be a good thing. Or, Vokoun and the Pens could lose. Even if that happens, the team is only down by a game in the series and has time to come back. In that case, Fleury could look at Game 4 as a comeback opportunity. Why wait until a Game 6 or Game 7 to make a change when the pressure is 10 times as great?
Some might say that starting Vokoun over Fleury could damage the Flower’s confidence going forward. I don’t believe that for a second. I think Fleury is strong enough mentally. I just want to see the Penguins beat New York and Vokoun has already done that three times in the 2013 season. This is why Ray Shero acquired Vokoun’s rights from the Washington Capitals.
The blame goes far past Fleury for Friday night’s defeat. New York recorded 20 shots in the first period alone. Coach Bylsma called a timeout 10 minutes into the game, with the Penguins leading no less, by two goals. Do you think that timeout could’ve come in handy the last two minutes of the game? Why was Matt Niskanen taking the crucial slap shots from the left point with an empty net at the other end of the ice and not Jarome Iginla?
The Pens had two two-goal leads and couldn’t hold either one of them. Think the ghost of spring 2012 doesn’t become an issue at some point?
Pittsburgh even failed on a four-minute power-play with the game tied at three apiece, courtesy of a John Tavares high stick to Brenden Morrow’s schnoz. Sidney Crosby hit a pipe and then missed a good look shortly thereafter. Pascal Dupuis was stopped from point-blank range by a goalie playing at the top of his game.
So, Marc-Andre Fleury is from far the only Game 2 goat. But there’s no reason to put him or his emotional well-being above the rest of the team or keep another goalie from doing what he’s shown to be capable of doing in 2013: Namely, beating the New York Islanders.
Isn’t that what Pens want to do anyhow?
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Penguins-Islanders Post-Game Interviews
Dan Bylsma
Sidney Crosby
Kris Letang
Jarome Iginla
Pascal Dupuis
Matt Niskanen
Craig Adams
Jack Capuano
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Team Notes:
Tonight’s game marked the fourth straight loss for the Penguins in Game 2s. Since 2009, Pittsburgh is only 3-6 in Game 2s.
The Penguins gave up 42 shots to the Islanders. It is the first time Pittsburgh had allowed 40-plus shots to an opponent since the Game 5 triple-overtime defeat to the Ottawa Senators on April 21, 2009 (44 shots).
With the Penguins first-period power-play goal they have now scored in seven straight playoff games with the man-advantage. They are 12-for-34 (35.2%) over that same span.
Pittsburgh finished 3-for-4 on the penalty kill against New York. Pittsburgh is 7-for-8 on the PK thus far this postseason.
Player Notes:
Evgeni Malkin finished with one goal and one assist. Malkin’s 33 career playoff goals rank fifth all-time in Penguins postseason history and he now has 26 career multi-point games in the playoffs.
Sidney Crosby added the Penguins second and third goals of the first period. Tonight marked his first multi-goal playoff game since April 20, 2010 at Ottawa (2 Goals). This was his sixth career postseason multiple-goal game and just his second at home (other was May 28, 2008 vs. Detroit in Game 3).
Crosby’s 35 career playoff goals rank him fourth all time in Penguins postseason history. Crosby returned after missing 13 games since Mar. 30 (12 regular season; 1 postseason).
Jarome Iginla added the assists on both Malkin and Crosby’s goals. For Iginla this is his second multi-point game of the playoffs and his 16th multi-point game of his postseason career. Iginla’s four assists lead all NHL players during the playoffs.
Pascal Dupuis and Mark Eaton earned the assists on Crosby’s second goal. Dupuis now has 3 points this postseason (2G-1A).
For Eaton, he now has points in both Games 1 and 2 after going scoreless during the regular season and it is only the second time in his career that he has recorded points in back-to-back playoff games – the first time coming on 4/25/09 and 5/2/09 at Philadelphia and Washington respectively.
Attendance: 18,624 (280th consecutive sellout)
Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Penguins
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Treasure Life!
JT
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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